Reviews

Generally grateful and inspired by Laura’s coverage and life’s work. Thank you! But THREE episodes on The Batman? Let’s move on…

This podcast should be mandatory for ppl. The insight she provides into domestic violence and coercive control is essential. The compassion she sheds to the victim and the families is admirable (in other podcasts, it’s overlooked and missed!)

It was wonderful to listen you and Umberto interact. I enjoyed the combination of both your areas of expertise coming together.

Well worth a listen. It inspired me to stand up to a road rage bully and report him to the police. That process in itself was interesting. It details brutal violence against women with lots of insights into women’s worth in a patriarchal society. It is a podcast about change and hope too. Thanks Laura!!

Laura Richard’s is so accomplished, so intelligent and so passionate. She could be intimidating. But she has so much compassion and care. She interviews with kindness and respect. I have learned so much from her. One review said it was like taking a master class. I totally agree!

This has become a very compelling podcast for me to keep dipping into, I love the intelligent way it has been brought to our ears and I believe strongly in what Laura is doing. Bravo 👏

As a follower of RCP, I’ve been a fan of Laura and her work for a while. CA takes a deep dive into the issues that matter, including Coercive Control, and helps to teach listeners about the dangers they may not have recognized. She helps to point out and recognize patterns, and, she has undoubtedly helped people avoid, and leave, unhealthy and dangerous relationships. Thank you for all you do!

Imagine taking an engaging course from the best professor to learn how crime analysts see criminal behavior? Laura Richards was already one of my sheroes, but now I feel like she also here to teach us how to look at criminal behavior and call out the biases in investigation that allow perpetrators to flourish. Love this pod.

I feel like I’m often singing into an echoless canyon. You are an echo. You say things that are obviously true and have been true for thousands of years, and yet, yet, what you say is not said nearly enough. Women have been groomed. Misogyny is everywhere, mostly unremarked. I wish I could have lunch with you and reinforce your wisdom and courage.

I like Ms Richards thorough approach to this topic. Especially appreciated is that she avoids sensationalizing the crime/criminals and instead gives voice to the victims. This is a show to follow of you are interested in learning about how criminals are able to function in society, and the ‘red flags’ to look out for.

So I have been a true crime fan since I was 10 years old and saw Silence of the Lambs in the movie theater for the 1st time (don’t ask why a 10 y/o was seeing that movie in the theater…1988 was a different time and I could also buy a pack of smokes for 5 quarters at any gas station too :/ ) So here’s the thing about true crime…while i am fascinated, knowing someone else’s pain is entertainment has always bothered me. Now while I’ve always felt like reading and consuming true crime helps me be and feel more “Aware” that’s not the entirety of it… Laura fixes this issue for me. Her passion for advocacy is literally contagious. And really, if you love true crime, like, really love it, shouldn’t you give something back? Shouldn’t we be doing something more then consuming in order to help prevent and empower victims? Make changes for a better world and all? Yes. Yes. And Yes, of course we should! Count me in, Laura. This podcast is granular, victim centered and Laura’s gentle voice & delivery while pleasing and comforting to listen to, doesn’t detract from what is clearly passion driven work. ** So thanks Laura! For sharing your knowledge and spreading passion while still giving us true crime junkies a more justifiable “fix”. **It makes me wonder after listening to Laura, if this isn’t something she’s had to carefully craft over years in order to be taken seriously in her line of work. Just comparing her conservative, careful passion in juxtapose to say Jim Clemente’s fiery, raised-voice rants, full of F-bombs & exclamations… I love both deliveries & I have pondered this while listening to both Crime Analyst & Real Crime Profile over the last few years. Can’t have hysterical women criminal profiling and fighting to change the patriarchal narrative!

It's essential that this podcast exists. It's not just engaging and compelling, it will make you sit up and think. Magnificent.

First discovered Laura Richards (a New Scotland Yard/FBI-trained criminal analyst) years ago on “Real Crime Profile “ and was fascinated by her unique experience & extensive research-based feminist perspective on crime, especially those against women & children. Followed her career ever since & was in awe of her relentless behind the scenes work changing domestic violence & stalking laws in the UK - not to mention the overwhelming victory of making coercive control a criminal offense. This podcast offers everything a true crime aficionado could want, from “in the weeds” deep dives into infamous historical murders and into Laura’s personal process of analyzing & solving crimes; to live Parliamentary hearings on anti-crime bills in process; to fascinating interviews with survivors, victims, professionals & advocates. Above all, Laura stresses a focus on honoring the victims of crime, & dustbinning the near-glorification of infamous criminals. I wholeheartedly agree with her core assessment - in order to reduce the outrageous frequency of crimes against women & kids, we need to focus not just on women protecting themselves, but on changing the pervasive attitudes of entitlement & toxic masculinity behind the men who commit them.

Thank you Laura for affirming the struggle and pain of so many women who endure abusive relationships and feel isolated and trapped with no hope for escape. Becoming a successful survivor is a reachable goal with your support and experience.

Laura is such a breath of fresh air. Inspiring and tenacious, she has been working tirelessly for women these past 25+ years. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I was always aware of the imbalance I experienced in narratives about men and women, in the ways in which my elders would describe domestic violence…. But I never knew how to put it into words. Laura articulated it so clearly and consistently that it gave me the vocabulary I needed to form my thoughts and communicate them with others. This show (and real crime profile) gave me the arsenal I needed to do my part to help women and myself make the right choices and keep ourselves safe. I am so grateful for resources like this - we need more voices like this in the world. Voices that are informed, educated, balanced, clear and not sensationalizing crime, but humanizing the people involved. Remembering the humanity at the heart of it all. Kudos to laura and all the work everyone like her does.

Laura Richards has absolutely changed my perspective on coercive control, domestic violence and putting victim rights and stories at the center of conversations about crime. There have been enough podcasts and documentaries who focus on perpetrators, who glorify and elevate them. The Yorkshire women who lost their lives in the 70’s and 80’s not only were cut from history, but they were also mis-characterized and demonized…Laura has given them back their dignity through the voices of their children. She’s a hero and her work needs a Netflix documentary now…

I have learned so much from Laura

First rate. I have learned so much from Laura and love her passion to protect women.

This podcast is just amazing. Laura rightly focuses on the victims of each crime she covers and spends time educating us about warning signs of abuse and “murder in slow motion.” I’m a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner and have found this so helpful in my work, as I feel I can better evaluate my patients and give them tools to recognize their dangerous situations, and encouragement to get out. A friend of mine recently found out her husband was cheating on her and this was her final straw in the marriage; she filed for divorce but he was not aware she was planning this. He threatened to kill himself with a butcher knife while standing right in front of her, and when she told me this I knew it was absolutely a major red flag. Using tools from Laura’s podcast and Instagram account I was able to help my friend understand just how dangerous this behavior is for her and her kids; she has since filed a restraining order and out multiple security measures in place, and is in therapy. I’m so proud of her and so thankful for Laura’s deeply meaningful and important work!

This is such an important podcast. Firstly, it respects the victims of these heinous crimes rather than focusing on the perpetrators. Laura, having years of professional training and expertise, does not sensationalize or try to make these stories cheap “entertainment”, but rather explains, educates, gives voice to victims and through this method, empowers. Excellent and valuable work.

The first series, Forgotten Victims, is a lengthy analysis of pretty much all perspectives of the Yorkshire murders. It’s respectful of the victims and their families and goes through in detail how bungled the investigation was due to male chauvinism and misogyny.

Laura Richards is so great. I love listening to her. I lover her passion and her knowledge. I learn something everytime I listen. If I were younger I'd want to grow up to be her.

Love to listen to Laura Richards and learn, learn, learn. At times I get a numb to the violence of the world but Laura Richard explains and breaks things down to understand. There is a 3part episode with a 17 year old Georgia (apologies for forgetting last name) - but oh! I instantly loved this person - I think we are all better off having these people share their stories and I am very thankful.

I feel as though I have lived something so similar . Laura, your ability to listen and educate is just wonderful. I was lucky as the San Antonio police and my attorney were awesome and my family helped me right when I filed for both a protective order and a divorce. I still was terribly abused after the separation through the divorce ….. but I’m out and free. I started over at 56 and didn’t look back. So much more happened and I’ll share when I can. Thank you for your podcast, your advocacy and for giving us voices.

Laura has taught me so much about coercive control, stalking, femicide, and intimate partner abuse. I recommend this podcast to everyone I meet, especially the episodes on Deconstructing Coercive Control and Preventing Murder in Slow Motion. Thank you for your tireless (<—stupid word because it’s exhausting) work and congratulations on the new little man in your life.

Thank you Laura for creating this very special podcast, there are not many that are in-depth at this level - one can tell that you have been working for the police for years. So thanks for showing us your way of approaching and going through cases step by step, professionally. You‘re also a role model for me, as I‘m training to be a trauma therapist for victims of violence and abuse but will also do my Master‘s in Forensic Psychology to get the big picture & in order to understand the criminal behaviour of the perpetrators more. Keep up the amazing work supershero! Can’t wait for the cases to come Happy holidays

As a survivor of coercive control , physical , mental , financial and legal abuse …. I am consistently amazed at how similar our stories are. The Asia’s is real. Why we stay is real. How we get out safely is a miracle. Therapy helped be realize the enormity of what I survived. This podcast helped me feel more normal. Prayers to all of the survivors and for those who didn’t make it out. Thanks Laura Richards for your insightful and compassionate coverage. You make a difference.

I have listened to thousands of hours of true crime podcasts. This one is by far the most educational. It has changed the way I think about victims, survivors, criminals and the role the media plays in covering crimes. She helps to challenge many of our current views. She is bright, well spoken and is extremely knowledgeable. Hearing the perspectives of the survivors is very beneficial. She shows how their lives are impacted - not just the gory details. Thank you for being so respectful and giving names to those who have been affected by the perpetrator. Thank you for showing us that true crime stories can be told in very interesting ways, while being respectful, instead of sensational. Thank you for not blaming the victims and survivors and instead placing the blame where it belongs - on the perpetrators.

As a professional in this field (and a survivor) I can’t recommend this podcast enough. Laura Richards is whip smart, not at all able to be intimidated, and an absolute warrior for women. Thank you Laura! You inspire me to keep going back on tough days

Supremely educational and mandatory listening for anyone that wants to understand human behavior in relation to crime.